The More Things Change
by Lady Douji
Summary: Leafman Jack AU: Jack learns he has more than new frost powers to deal with.


This is part of an Epic/ROTG fusion that Isabeau25 and Eastofthemoon started over on tumblr(search the tag Leafman Jack AU for more info and stories) I was amused and inspired and ask if they would mind if I played in their sandbox a little. They didn't and I wrote this little piece.

Jack sat on a branch, hidden behind a few leaves relaxing in his first bit of solitude all day. So far he had spent his morning avoiding would-be worshippers and hours getting fitted for horrendously fancy outfits. Jack frowned at the memory.

_Walking into Queen Tara's gardens Jack had expected another day of "Frost this." and "Completely freeze that." to teach him to control the Moon's Blessing. He had been partly correct. Once he made his greetings to Tara, she had handed him a small leaf crown and told him to ice it over solid. He did, and the crown glittered in the light of the garden. Offering it back to Tara he asked, "Pretty crown. What's it for? Doesn't seem like your style."_

_Tara didn't take the crown, she just smiled, "It's for you Jack. For formal dinners and other occasions."_

_Jack froze looking down at the crown with growing horror. Then he saw bolts of fine spider silk cloth behind the queen and a few people standing to the side with measuring tools. Jack tossed the crown to the side as he turned to run._

_"Just remembered something very important! Gotta go!"_

_He hadn't gone two steps before Tara's vines wrapped around his legs nearly tripping him, but more came to keep him from falling. A part of Jack wanted to ice the vines, break them and keep running, but he couldn't. He couldn't strike at Tara. _

_"Oh come on! I don't need any new clothes Your Highness! My leafman uniform is fine."_

_"Jack there's no need to be so dramatic. It's just a few outfits." Tara said with a smile as she stepped closer, reaching to pat his shoulder._

_Jack squirmed in the vines frowning, "It's not just the outfits, or the crown. It's everything! Everyone treating me like I'm some sort of of noble or minor god. Just because the Moon decided to be kooky and give me frost magic. It's stupid. I just want to be a normal leafman."_

_"Jack I'm not sure if you understand what the Moon means to us," Tara chided Jack, ruffling his hair. "The Moon has always been a beneficial spirit to this forest. It is by the Moon's light that the power of the forest is passed from the ruler to the heir. We owe a great deal to the Moon even if we don't understand him. So it's hardly a wonder or surprise that someone with the Moon's Blessing will be honored as royalty with all the duty and obligations that entails."_

_"But. . ." Jack struggled to think of objections to Tara's statement._

_"No buts Jack." Tara stated. "I know you didn't want this power, but you do have it. Now we all just have to learn to handle it."_

_"Maybe, but do I really need fancy outfits? I could always just add frost to my regular and dress uniforms." Jack offered._

_Shaking her head Tara answered, "I'm sorry, but when you appear with me it won't be as a Leafman and so your normal uniform won't be appropriate. So please let the tailors do their job. I have some honeyed crackle cake for tea when they're done."_

_Jack chewed his lip for a moment, "Can I also have a say in the designs?"_

_"Of course Jack," Tara smiled. Stepping back, she unwound her vines from Jack's limbs, and the tailors stepped forward._

Jack rubbed his temples to ease the headache forming. The meeting with the tailors had taken hours. First there was taking his measurements, then came the arguments about the designs. One of the outfits they suggested consisted of seven layers of differently colored and embroidered robes. Queen Tara had shot that one down while he was still staring in shock. They had finally managed to settle on three designs of varying formality, and then he and Tara had sat down for tea. He barely tasted any of it, not even the promised honey crackle cake.

Now all he wanted was to go home and see his mother and little sister, but there was a group of people gathered outside his door. Glaring at the throng from his hiding spot, he debated sending ice down to scatter the crown. But he still remembered the whispers and stares from the people convinced he was a danger to Moonhaven. His internal debate was cut off when a voice called to him.

"Jack? Ya hiding out up there?"

Turning around Jack hurried to give a proper salute to Aster, grateful for one little piece of normalcy, "Commander Aster."

Aster smiled returning Jack's salute, "Bit of a crowd outside your old place."

Jack sighed, "Yeah. Hope they're not bothering Mom and Blossom." Jack paused a moment then frowned, "Wait what do you mean my 'old place'?"

Aster's expression grew more serious, "General Ronin sent me to tell you. You're being moved into a different apartment that's a bit more secure and private."

Jack froze, "W-what? You have got to be kidding me Commander! I spent all morning getting fitted for stupid formal outfits and now I'm getting kicked out of my home!"

Aster winced at Jack's outburst, "Now Jack, settle down. It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal!?" Jack started pacing. Now he really wanted to ice something, or break something. "The Moon decides to give me ice powers and everyone starts freaking out!. I saw people bowing to me the other day. BOWING! And if they're not doing that they're running scared, or whispering when they think I can't hear them. I hear them whispering how useless my so called blessing is. Or I hear them talking about what a danger I am. That I should be sent away from Moonhaven before I freeze everything. And now you come to tell me I'm getting moved out of my family home. So tell me how is this not a big deal?"

Aster watched the stressed and fuming young leafman, remembering how social and carefree he normally was. Now he was tense and withdrawn, Aster decided he'd need to have a talk with Ronin and Tara about that, as well as those fearful whispers. People had a tendency to be stupid when they got scared. First things first though, he had to deal with this outburst. For a moment Aster pondered which part of Jack's rant to deal with first.

"Ya powers aren't useless Jack." Aster stated as Jack continued pacing, holding back a chuckle at the look of utter disbelief and exasperation Jack gave him.

"How are my powers not useless? No-one likes frost and ice, it just makes plants wilt." Jack whined, no doubt repeating some of the whispered taunts he'd heard.

"Ya saved Nod with these powers didn't ya?" Aster countered. "If you want useless you should ask Nim about the last guy who got the Moon's blessing. Apparently all he did was glow like a star and float around."

"Maybe," Jack conceded sitting back down the branch, looking deflated. "but at least he wasn't a danger either."

"And neither are ya." Aster crouched down beside Jack patting his shoulder, "People are just overreacting because your gift is something new, and sadly new is scary to a lot of folks. Give it time and people will see you're harmless and your power can be a great help to everyone."

"How can frost and ice be helpful? It's as deadly as a boggan's rot sometimes." Jack asked, still unconvinced.

"Be great for the rose hip harvests. The're always sweetest after a little frost. Be nice to have them that sweet all spring, summer and fall," Aster commented, "And dependin' how connected and aware you are of the natural weather you might be able to tell when the first frost is gonna hit. That'll be right useful, we've lost harvests before because frost hit sooner than expected."

"Yeah, I guess." Jack conceded rubbing the back of his head. Looking at the small crowd, "Still wish people would leave me alone about it."

"They will, once everyone gets used to it. Then you can go back to being a Leafman, albeit with a few extra duties." Aster said reassuringly, gripping Jack's arm and hauling him up. "Now come on. If I don't get ya to your new place to help with unpacking your Ma will probably skin me."

"Mom and Blossom are there?" Jack asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Ya think they would have just let ya go off and live on ya own?" Aster grinned. "Not a chance."

Jack finally let a smile slip free as Aster guided him out of his hiding spot. Looking back at his old home, he already felt a wave of homesickness and longing, but was grateful he wasn't going to be alone.


End file.
